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O. ‘ . . . .I I). ‘,z . . . . .4 ~l ' .. I .I II I I - "‘ . . O I O I I -- I. . - 1-. . I I. . I. . I ‘ . s V o ' ' 9. ID - I ' I ..’ .. _ I .. ' . , 0.0 ' o u . . I . . o'- o .- I . . .'2 ' . .' I ' . C" I 0 o . I ' - I O 4 . I . .-‘-‘. _ I ' ' I. A . I' ‘0 ' o - , -0 ' ' . l I 'J. . . . . . D - 0 D I '1. .' "O O . " . .0 fl.‘ . . -. ,. ' , - 3.. "‘1 - *I‘Z' ° . ‘ - - . . u“ . . . . ‘ (.A ~- ~ - . .. ., s _ ' ' . om ‘lt'lzf ‘ ‘ t- ; ~ - " " I LIBRARY Michigan State University :0 F :3 J W 4 j: «s D ‘2 { _ if” f f i >7 M7 24> ABSTRACT FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN DEVELOPING OR SELECTING TELEVISED MUSIC INSTRUCTION FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS by Mary Elizabeth Nocera The purpose of this thesis is to identify and explain important factors which should be considered by music educators who intend to develop a program of tele— vised music instruction for elementary schools or to select such a program from among those which have already been produced. It appears that no guidelines exist for helping music educators to make effective use of television as a medium of instruction. This study examines such essential factors as: (l) the attributes of the television music teacher, (2) what considerations influence the planning of a television music lesson, (3) what can be done to promote effective utilization of the lesson in the class- room, and (4) how the lessons may be evaluated. School systems now using televised music instruc- tion, instructional television councils, and appropriate committees within professional organizations of music educators were requested to supply any statements of 2 Mary Elizabeth Nocera policy and procedure presently in use relating to the production or utilization of televised music instruction for elementary grades. They were also asked to answer a questionnaire designed specifically as a means for inter- viewing them informally regarding their ideas about the production and utilization of televised music instruction. This questionnaire was also sent to a selected number of authorities in the field of music education. Most of the information contained in this study has been drawn from existing literature, including books, articles in profes- sional journals, and dissertations. Hopefully, a collection of such information con- cerning the production and utilization of televised music instruction will have value in upgrading future endeavors in the field. FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN DEVELOPING OR SELECTING TELEVISED MUSIC INSTRUCTION FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BY Mary Elizabeth Nocera A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Television and Radio 1967 Approved (99% (.2wa jor Professor TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF APPENDICES Chapter I. PURPOSE AND METHODOLOGY . II. ROLES SUITABLE FOR TELEVISION IN ELEMENTARY MUSIC EDUCATION . . III. ATTRIBUTES OF A TELEVISION MUSIC TEACHER . . . . . . . . . . . IV. PLANNING A TELEVISED MUSIC LESSON . V. INVOLVEMENT OF THE CLASSROOM TEACHERS BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . APPENDICES ii Page iii 26 44 67 79 82 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix Page A. COPY OF QUESTIONNAIRE . . . . . . . . . . . 83 B. COPY OF ACCOMPANYING LETTER . . . . . . . . 84 C. THE CHILD'S BILL OF RIGHTS IN MUSIC . . . . 85 iii CHAPTER I PURPOSE AND METHODOLOGY This study aims to assist those who are considering or planning some use of television as a means of instruc- tion in elementary music education. What role should be assigned to television in this instruction? What attributes are desirable for a televiskx1 music teacher? What considerations influence the planning of a television music lesson? What can be done to promote effective utilization of the lesson in the classroom? How may the lesson be evaluated? These are the principal questions which the study explores. Growth of Instructional Television That increasing numbers of educators will wish to consider these questions seems likely in view of the grow— ing use of television by American schools. In this thir— teenth year since the first educational television station began broadcasting, enrollments in subjects taught at least partly by television total well over thirty-six million. (This figure does not represent an equal number of studenuz 2 since a student taking several subjects by television may be counted more than once.) Many studies have demonstrated that students can learn by television. Usually no appreciable difference in the amount of learning has been found between those instructed by television and those instructed in the same subject by conventional methods. Roles of Televised Instruction Television participates in instruction to various degrees. A subject may be totally taught by television when classroom teachers are not qualified to teach it or students cannot get to the classroom. In such instances, students may mail assignments and examinations to the tele— vision teaching staff for criticism and grading, they may be able to question members of the staff by telephone, or even confer with them in an occasional face-to-face meeting. When students do attend class regularly, television may handle the core instruction in subject areas (such as music, art, and foreign languages) which are best presented by specialists, using the classroom teachers to conduct follow-up activities after the telecasts. In other 1Lawrence E. McKune, Compendium of Televised Education (East Lansing, Mich.: Michigan State University, 1965). p. i. instances, the classroom teachers may initiate the instruc- tion, using television as a regular supplementary or com— plementary resource, much as they might use a textbook. Sometimes, television serves merely to provide occasional enriching experiences outside the normal bounds of study, such as an opportunity to witness a professional musical performance. Whether or not television is used to enrich or supplement classroom instruction usually depends on the classroom teacher. In either case, she is normally supplied with a printed guide which outlines the televised lessons and offers suggestions for class preparation and follow-up activities. Means of Instructional Television Distribution Several methods of instructional television distri— bution are in use today. -Lessons may be broadcast to the schools over the same standard VHF or UHF channels by which people receive programs in their homes. Since broadcast stations are normally licensed to Operate only a single channel, they can broadcast only one lesson at a time; and since they usually have many other kinds of programs to broadcast, they are likely to have only a limited time of 4 day available for in—school broadcasting, unless, of counx; a school system holds the license for the channel. School systems are more likely to be licensed for transmission on wave lengths in the vicinity of 2500 mega- cycles, which comprise the Instructional Fixed Television Service. This service allows fcm the simultaneous use of multiple channels (at this writing usually four) and is more economical than standard broadcasting. The signal is more limited in range than a broadcast signal and is receivable only at target destinations specially equipped to receive it, making it in effect a closed circuit signal. Closed circuit distribution can also be accom— plished through coaxial cable, which is capable of trans- mitting several channels simultaneously. This cable may be owned and operated by a school system, or one or more of its channels may be provided to the schools by a CATV (Community Antenna Television System) franchised to serve the community. Sources of Instructional Television Programs By no means do all school districts produce their own instructional television programs. Many of them par— ticipate in the program service of television councils. The programs may be either locally produced or rented on 5 videotape from other producers, including other districts and councils, state educational television systems, or libraries such as the Northeast Regional Instructional Television Library, the Great Plains Regional Instructional Television Library, and the National Center for School and College Television. Use of Television in Music Education In almost every instance where television is serving education, music instruction is being televised on either the elementary or high school levels. For specific instances of when, where, and on what grade level, the reader is referred to the current annual edition of McKune's Compendium of Televised Education. According to this source, with the exception of fifteen states which have not yet used any instructional television, all others have televised music programs. Hence, there is a growing body of experience, information about which should be of benefit to music educators who wish to investigate the adoption of television for some aspect of their instruction. Sources of Information for This Study To seek out information about that experience and assemble it in useful form has been the intention of this study. ‘ . , _ . a ‘ . ' A , - r. ‘ _ . . - . . o . - , . . , . . I J , , . , . A , , ' ‘ I s c . d‘ ‘- ' - - < . O k r h c I p - . < A V . , . . . ¢ . , . . 1 . , . J 4. ' L ¢ _ \ a _ , . i 4 4 . ,_ . ,\ K . .. . , .i .7 A .4. - -- fl _. .. .. 6 Some of the information has been drawn from exist- ing literature, including books, articles in professional journals, and dissertations. Although relatively little has been published on the specific tOpic of televised music education for elementary grades, there is a considerable body of literature about instructional television in general, some of which is as applicable to music instruc- tion as it is to instruction of other subjects. Of particular relevance to music education is the report of a meeting sponsored by the National Center for School and College Television at Bloomington, Indiana in February, 1966, during which a group of distinguished music educators and educational television producers evaluated seventy videotaped musical instruction series (or portions thereof) currently being used in various localities around the country. The group reacted with several critical sug- gestions for improving televised music instruction beyond its present level of quality, which it found, on the whole, disappointing. Indeed, one of the music educators observed that "Television in music education is existing in spite of itself."1 To supplant extant published information, it was 1"Instructional Television in Music Education," NCSCT News Supplement, I, No. 1 (June, 1966), 5. 7 decided to submit a questionnaire to television councils and to school districts which have been engaged in tele- vised music instruction for five hundred or more elementary school children. A list of such addressees was compiled from McKune's Compendium of Televised Education and was supplemented by other districts and councils known to the author. Copies of the questionnaire were also sent to a selected number of authorities in the field of music educa- tion. Fifty—four replies to the questionnaire were received from twenty-nine states. These constituted a 41.5 percent return on the one hundred and thirty questionnaires which were mailed. The questionnaire was not intended as a vehicle for exact statistical analysis, but rather as a means for inter- viewing the addressees informally regarding their ideas about the production and utilization of televised music instruction. Open-ended in structure, it posed four ques— tions, so phrased that responses could be made on the basis of facts, experience, or personal Opinion. These questions asked that respondents state briefly: 1. Their philosophy of music education. 2. Which types of music instruction they considered best suited and least suited to television. ' . , / l I . i . .7 ) , t 4 . - “ ‘ . \ . 4 . , , ‘\ , ' 5 \ . .. _ I 4 ~ . ‘ u _ . \ - ) , . 1 . ‘ . . I — ‘ . . , , _ . I ‘ ' I . ‘ , . v . , ‘ : , . I . \ n .' . ' I l _ . . S I ‘ . \ , ' A J _ . I _ x I ‘ v . 4 ‘ Y ‘ ' I . ‘ h n . - , n , . . l y ’ t A , ‘ . \- ' ‘ a ( A . -l - - l . . - I, ' V I ‘ ' ’ 4L. 8 3. What qualities a television music teacher should possess. 4. What they considered most important to accom- plish and to avoid in develoPing a televised music lesson. A letter sent with each questionnaire requested any available statements of policy or procedure which the respondent followed when preparing or utilizing televised music programs. To this request only four addressees responded with printed policy statements or recommendations by music committees concerning televised instruction. Many respondents, however, supplied copies of study guides and evaluation forms. 1A copy of the questionnaire and its accompanying letter will be found in the appendices. CHAPTER II ROLES SUITABLE FOR TELEVISION IN ELEMENTARY MUSIC EDUCATION This chapter will explore which roles in elementary music education are most suitable for assignment to televi- sion. Basic to that exploration is a need to understand (1) the present aims and program of music education in the elementary schools and (2) the potentialities and limita- tions of television as an instructional medium. To devote the first part of this chapter to these tOpics should equip the reader to better understand and evaluate the contents of the second part, which reports the purposes for which various music educators are using television or for what purposes they recommend it should be used. The Purpose of Music Education At its annual meeting in 1950, the Music Educators National Conference (MENC), association of professional music educators, adopted a basic statement of philOSOphy called "The Child's Bill of Rights in Music," which resolves that each child shall be given the Opportunity to grow 9 lO musically as an individual and as a member of a singing society. Before the modern entertainment media, America was indeed a "singing society,” and the earliest role of music education was to teach children the songs familiar to the community so that they could sing along with the adults. By now, the program has been broadened to include many kinds of musical experiences. "The Child's Bill of Rights in Music" states that it is the music teacherfisresponsibility to present a fully balanced program to all students, keeping in mind, however, the numerous individual talents within the group and allow- ing each child to express himself through the phase of music to which he is best suited. Thereby it is hoped that each child will come to enjoy music and to appreciate its importance in the history and culture of mankind. Most music educators seem to agree that instruction in music can: ... help a student to become interested in music, ... help him to develOp desirable attitudes toward music, ... provide him with an emotional release from 1A copy of "The Child's Bill of Rights in Music" can be found in Appendix C. , x . , . , . \ . V v . '_ i . ‘ ‘ 5‘ , l ‘ . V . ' a . , - . , \ » r . V ‘ ' n . I I 1 4 I ' . 1 b “ , _ —. . \ , n . _ a - __ v , I a \ v ll frustrations, ... promote his social development through group activities, ... develop his physical coordination through the acquisition of rhythmic skills, ... introduce him to the cultural heritage of his own and other societies, ... contribute to his worthwhile use of leisure time, ... provide him an avenue for self expression through creative activity, ... and promote in him a feeling for the religious and spiritual involvement of man. In carrying out these aims, educators differ on which should come first: enjoyment or understanding of music. Some, agreeing with Sunderman, believe that the music program Should be founded on children's interests, not stressing the acquisition of music skills until the Child has experienced the power of music.2 Others, agree- ing with Nye, contend that only through knowledge of music skills will true aesthetic appreciation be acquired. 1 Lloyd Frederick Sunderman, School:Mu§;c Teaching Its Theory and Practice (New York: The Scarecrow Press, 1965), p. 13. 21bid., p. 19. 3Robert E. Nye, Music for Elementary School Childgen (Washington: Center for Applied Research in Education, 1963), p. 6. 12 Although both factions subscribe to the MENC Code, their point of difference affects where the emphasis is placed in the music program of one school district as against another. The Music Program in the Elementary School Despite variations from district to district, there are prescriptions for achieving some consistency throughout the area of a given state. New York State, for example, has issued an elementary music syllabus, "Children, the Music Makers." This divides music instruction into six areas: 1. Singing, 2. Rhythmic activity, 3. Rhythm, melody, and accompaniment instruments, 4. Listening. 5. Creative experiences, 6. Music theory.1 In teaching these areas, the instructor is expected to use the most effective means available to him. If tele— vised lessons are to be one of these means, with which of the areas can they concern themselves most effectively? To move toward an answer to this question, it is 1New York State Education Department, Children, the Music Makers (Albany, N. Y.: Bureau of Elementary Curriculum Development, 1961), p. 18. 13 prOposed to consider each area in turn, analyzing by what conditions it is most successfully taught. Singing is obviously an overt response which requires class participation. There are many types of singing expe- riences: 1. Presentation of a new song by the rote method, whereby the class imitates what the teacher sings. 2. Review of familiar songs, either unison or part songs. 3. Singing songs at sight—-without help from the teacher, hence requiring a fairly good grasp of musical notation. Rhythmic activities include: 1. Creative movement to music, dictated by the rhythm or mood of the music. 2. Structured movement to music, including such activities as marching, skating, and clapping. Rhythm, melody, and accompaniment instruments are useful not only for developing response to rhythm patterns, but also for releasing pent-up anxieties. Melody instru— ments, although not available in all school districts, are an effective means of introduction to band instruments. They involve both individual and class response, and require individual attention to the beginning student, 14 especially with regard to his fingering technique. Accom- paniment instruments (such as the autoharp, guitar, and bells) are usually played by the teacher or selected indi- viduals. Children can be taught to play them through use of the chalkboard and other visual aids. Listening to music, live or recorded, either for relaxation or for specific learning purposes, does not require overt class response. In group situations, the teacher may correlate listening with creative activities such as movement to music, rhythmic accompaniment, or vocal interpretation, or may show slides or filmstrips which depict the "story behind the music." Usually, however, listening is an individual activity. Creative experiences can take many forms. They can be group efforts such as adapting words or rhythms to music, music to words, or instrumental accompaniment to music. They can be expressions of what the mood of the music con- veys to the individual student. In the first example, the activity requires guidance and supervision. In the second, guidance is not necessarily required. Music theory includes the reading of music, which means ability to sing from a score with the correct pitch and rhythmic interpretation, to understand the symbols of music writing, and to distinguish basic forms of music 15 writing. It usually involves teaching a system of musical phonetics which serve to identify pitch, duration, and intervals of tones. For a student to become proficient in note reading requires much effort by the music specialist and continual follow-up by the classroom teacher (or music teacher, if she is fortunate enough to visit the class more than once each week). While not disputing that knowledge of musical notation is highly desirable, some music educa- tors will argue against making this phase of the music pro- gram of paramount importance. Potentialities of Television as an Instructional Instrument Before the educator can decide how to employ tele— vision with reference to the instructional areas just described, he must understand the potentialities and limi- tations of the medium as an educational instrument, noting how these relate to his goals. Among the advantages of the medium is its ability to focus the student's attention on each relevant visual learning stimulus, providing the same advantageous view to all students, and enlarging details which might otherwise be difficult to perceive (such as the fingering technique for a woodwind instrument). It can also bring simultaneously to many classrooms 16 the best obtainable instructional resources, including not only superior teachers, but also professional guests, who would be unable to visit all classrooms in person. These presentations can provide standardized instruction through; out the area covered by the television distribution. Having but one presentation of a given lesson to make, the television teacher can normally spend more time on its preparation. If the lesson is recorded on video tape, it can be presented carefully and without haste, revising each segment until it is acceptable, even testing it on a sample student pOpulation before putting it to general use. Video tape makes it possible to record the lesson When most convenient for its participants and to include events which must be recorded at the time when they occur. It also makes it possible to store the lesson and repeat it during subsequent hours or semesters. Films, still pictures, and other visual materials can be incorporated more smoothly into a television lesson than they can in a classroom presentation. Television can also provide experiences that could not ordinarily be provided in the classroom: the rehearsal of a symphony orchestra, for instance, or the premiere of a musical score. 17 Limitations of Television as an Instructional Instrument A chief limitation of televised instruction is the absence of direct contact between the student and the tele— vision teacher. The teacher cannot see or hear the students to guage their reception of his presentation or to evaluate their performance of a learning task. The student cannot ask questions during the lesson. The lack of immediate feedback has led to the installation in some closed—circuit television systems of a two-way audio hook-up between the studio and each classroom. By this means the teacher can ask a student to recite, and the student can ask the teacher to clarify a point he has failed to grasp. Another form of feedback, although certainly not an immediate one, is the form which is often provided to class- room teachers for obtaining their evaluation of a televised lesson or series. Some teachers, however, put little thought or effort into filling out this form, or put it off until their recollection has become clouded, or ignore it altogether. The lack of face-to-face contact would seem to be more serious when television is used for total teaching than when it is used for supplemental or enrichment l8 purposes, where the classroom teacher plays an important role in the continuous development of the subject being taught. Indeed, active COOperation by the classroom teacher is essential to the success of most televised instruction. Without her willingness and ability to motivate and prepare her students for that instruction and to engage them in follow—up activities, the effectiveness of the instruction can be seriously curtailed. For some areas of music education, a possible limi- tation of television arises from the visual nature of the medium. This raises the question: what should be shown on the screen during periods of instruction which are devoted primarily to aural concentration? A problem raised by some critics is the poor sound quality which emanates from the low-cost television receivers installed in most television receiving rooms. This is not the fault of the television signal, which, being transmitted by FM (frequency modulation), is capable of reproducing a wide range of frequencies with a minimum of spurious noise. o i V. . . . , . , L . , . I I I , . . l , I _ ~ , , u . , , . s A ‘ _ . I ' l ‘ l 1 . . . I , ‘ . ’ k r . J L ". ’ J \ - . . ._ l I C ' . ‘ . ‘ ‘ , . . . . e . 1 v - 19 Opinions Regarding the Areas of Instruction for Which Television is Suited It will be recalled that one source of information for this study was a questionnaire addressed to selected music educators and to school districts and television councils servicing five hundred or more children with tele— vised music lessons. Replies from these addressees include opinions regarding what types of music instruction are best suited and least suited to television presentations. These opinions do not always agree with each other or with those of other authorities consulted. Of the activities considered approPriate for tele- vised instruction, one frequently mentioned by respondents to the questionnaire is singing. Television is being used not only to teach unison singing on the primary grade level, but also for an introduction to two— and three-part singing in the upper elementary grades. (In one school system, the television teacher brings six pupils to the studio to help her teach part singing.)l There are qualifications, however, regarding the use of television for all aspects of singing instruction. Some respondents observe that television cannot help the 1"Four Teachers Teach 25,000 Pupils in Des Moines, Iowa," Ginn Music News, No. 33 (Spring, 1962), p. 7. 20 student who is having difficulty singing on pitch. The inability of the television teacher to observe and correct students' mistakes led authorities who attended the con- ference Sponsored by the National Center for School and College Television to conclude that: "Without adequate two-way communication between the television teacher and the classroom, singing should be taught only on a 'This is how it ought to be done' basis." "How it ought to be done"—-demonstration, in other words-—was generally recognized by respondents to the ques- tionnaire as an aspect of teaching quite apprOpriate to television. Many recommended using the medium to demon- strate techniques such as playing an instrument. Only two respondents, however, would assign to television a major role in developing a child's ability to play a band or orchestral instrument for himself. Many others rejected television for this role, presumably because the learner requires the presence of a teacher who can observe and correct his difficulties as they arise. On the other hand, there is the testimony of Richard Charles Berg, music teacher, composer, and author, who served for three years as producer-teacher of a tele- vised music series sponsored by the Regents Educational 1NCSCT News Supplement, p. 5. 31.] (...l l. ..I...i.llllll. . . ....llll‘l’l'l .‘ll‘lll‘ll‘lll‘l-ll' I r . . . \ I. u , V \ o r . . ‘ I . a . ‘ \ . . t n . I. . J .t '0 I v y . 1 . \ . . \ t . r a , . 1 u I .. . . . . V i 2 . , § . u . . . . . K J . l . ‘ r . . . A . x . , . — n n. . . . . K 4 .Yl I . .7. a u - 1 . l/ _ s z I 3 .4 . _ . l I : 1 y I . u ) q u. . . . 1 n . u l . \ . . — . . 1 \ r. v o v f L 4 A v . . w . J 21 Television Project in the State of New York. From a survey which he conducted to investigate the effectiveness of televised music instruction, Dr. Berg discovered excellent reception by teachers and students alike of lessons designed to teach the fundamentals of playing an instrument and also of those which involved active participation by student instrumentalists in the receiving classrooms. A unique advantage of television for teaching youngsters to play an instrument, he cites, is its ability to show close-ups of fingering technique, the prOper way to hold an instrument, and other details that can be difficult to demonstrate to even a small ensemble without going to each youngster indi- vidually.l Thus, he agrees that television is a suitable vehicle for demonstrations. As for less SOPhisticated instruments, some respondents to the questionnaire considered that a tele- vised lesson might appropriately involve the use by stu- dents of instruments for rhythm, melody, and accompaniment. On this subject there were no dissenting Opinions. Relatively few opinions were received regarding whether a televised lesson should involve its students in lRichard Charles Berg, "The Teaching of Music on a Series of Telecasts Sponsored by the Regents Educational Television Project" (unpublished Doctoral dissertation, Columbia University, 1961), p. 147. 22 rhythmic movement to music. These few Opinions were divided. A sizeable number of respondents, however, favored listening lessons via television. That many advocated visual reinforcement for such lessons is not too suprising, since what is seen on the screen can, indeed, be of aid in certain stages of developing listening ability. For example, the camera can show which instruments have the lead during a given passage, or it can follow the musical notation, or (when considered educationally valid) it can show pictures apprOpriate to the mood or intended applica- tion of certain types of music. As many respondents indi- cated, however, visualization must not cause aural distrac- tion. Richard Charles Berg cites the possibility of such distraction as one of two reasons Why listening lessons can be difficult to present on television. The other reason, which has been noted previously, is the poor sound repro- duction of the average classroom television receiving set. The activity mentioned most frequently by respond— ents to the questionnaire as being suitable for television was music appreciation. Several commented that presenta- tions of this subject should be "highly endowed visually" and "approached a la Bernstein." Doubtless they were lIbid., p. 48. I . I O . a i I p \ . u a 1 . L . . o , r . . . s .. u y . ; . . n _ _ o 1 . z 1 \ .. . . I \ , I ‘ I v: . x . . I. . . , A . . , v 7 r t . .. . u I . _ , . . . . s . . .\ I ‘ . I \ « I I |. . s r _ _ a . . z . J n/ . I ‘ r. . \ .. , r .7. . o ‘ ‘ ‘ I A 1 v a . . \ l . cl . . I _. . . \ . r . x I . l . ,. I - . _ . ’ u . . .\ l \ . . . A. I x . . t . \ . . . I . a . . r .1! liulqllii f .4]. III.III.I . 23 referring to the programs, including "Young PeOple's Concerts," presented on commercial network television by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. In this orchestra, one cannot help observing, Mr. Bernstein has a resource for "visual endowment" which far exceeds what is available in the communities where most television music teachers produce their lessons. Another learning activity assigned to television by a sizeable majority of the respondents was note reading. This is understandable in view of the ability of the medium to magnify visual material and concentrate attention on it. That so many would mention note reading, however, may be somewhat surprising to those who are aware of how divided music teachers are on the advisability of teaching music fundamentals on the elementary level. Many respondents thought that television could be used best for bringing to students activities and experi- ences not available in an ordinary classroom situation. The appearance of guest artists, both vocal and instru- mental, and the demonstration of instruments, both ancient and modern, were among the examples given. In agreement with this use of the medium are the National Center for School and College Television conferees, who state that "television ought to bring into the classroom materials 24 usually not available."1 Some respondents to the questionnaire regarded television as ideal for the in—service training of teachers, both music specialists and classroom teachers. Berg points out that such training can make the teacher aware of new materials and techniques, thus helping her to do a better job in the classroom. He also feels that it can stimulate the teacher to carry out follow—up activities at the con- clusion of the televised lesson.2 No respondents to the questionnaire were in favor of using television for total teaching. Concluding Observations Despite some conflict of Opinion, the preceding section reveals that television is being used with apparent success in many aspects of the elementary school music pro- gram. It cannot be expected to teach the total program, or, in some instances, to serve as the exclusive means of teaching a given activity within that program. Instead of asking such categorical questions as, "Can it teach sing- ing?" or, "Can it teach children to play a band instrument?" it is more useful to ask, "How can it help to teach these lNCSCT News Supplement, p. 11. 23erg. p. 37. 25 activities?" or, "What aspects of these activities can it teach?" In general, it seems evident that a teacher is needed in the classroom to supervise the creative endeavors of individual students and to observe and correct deficien- cies in their understandings and in their performance of learning tasks. Television, for its part, can be used to present knowledge, demonstrate techniques, create enthusiasm for what is to be learned, and even lead group activities during which correction of individual deficiencies is not of primary importance. When deciding how television shall be used, however, consideration must be given, of course, to available compe- tences. Despite some inadequacies, television can be used to supply teachers with special competence for teaching music. To have such a teacher, even in areas of the sub— ject to which television is not particularly well adapted, is sometimes better than to have only a face-to-face teacher with no particular competence for teaching music at all. CHAPTER III ATTRIBUTES OF A TELEVISION MUSIC TEACHER In some televised lessons it may be desirable to eliminate the teacher from the screen for long periods, directing attention to other learning stimuli such as musical performance, instruments, notation, or pictures of composers and their historical environment. In the elementary grades, however, it seems to be accepted that learning is best stimulated by the more or less continu- ous presence of human teachers. Hence, on television as in the classroom, the teacher's role, both as a planner and presenter of instruction, is of primary importance. This conclusion is supported by the report of a conference of authorities in music education and instructional tele- vision convened by the NCSCT and referred to previously in this study. In considering the crucial components of an effective television lesson in music the partici- pants stressed the importance of selecting an effec- tive television teacher. (Throughout the conference, each authority returned again and again to the importance of the teacher.)1 lNCSCT News Supplement, p. 5 26 27 Hence it is important to ask the question to which this chapter is devoted: What are the attributes of a good television music teacher? Before proceeding with this question, a note must be inserted about number and gender. Although reference has been made to §.teacher, it is recognized that some music telecasts use teaching teams. As to gender, some use male teachers, others female. Since more women than men seem to be used as television teachers for elementary grades, this chapter will use the feminine pronoun, with- out implying, however, that men are less successful than women in the role. The attributes of that role, which will now be surveyed, are intended to apply whether the teacher is male or female, working alone or as a member of a team. The Television Teacher Must Be Good In asking what makes a good television teacher, stress must be laid first on the word "good." Since the television teacher serves many classrooms and is expected to provide them with a special service, it is natural to expect that she will be superior in knowledge of her subject and ability to teach it. Furthermore, her work is on more or less public display as an example of the qual- ity of teaching being practiced in this country. That 28 this example is not always favorable is evidenced by a report released recently by the Fund for the Advancement of Education, which observes: . . . the most conspicuous result of television teaching has been an incidental by-product: the medium has displayed in public what has heretofore gone on behind too many closed classroom doors-- uninspired teaching.l Narrowing the field to music education, one finds a similar conclusion in the previously cited report of the NCSCT meeting: Seven authorities in music education and instruction- al television found little to be enthused about after viewing portions of 70 lessons from almost every telecourse being broadcast in the United States today . . . Greatest concern was for the lack of musicianship displayed by some of the teachers and the generally poor quality of their teaching.2 In View of such findings, the selection of good teachers is imperative. The Television Teacher Must Be aATeacher In asking what makes a good television teacher, besides stressing the word "good," it is also necessary-- obvious though it may seem--to stress the word "teacher." lJudith Murphy and Ronald Gross, Learning By. Television (New York: Fund for the Advancement of Edu- cation, 1966) p. 10. 2NCSCT News Supplement, p. 5. 29 The question is sometimes raised as to whether a presenter of televised instruction should be primarily an educator or a performer. Most kinds of television teach- ing do require the ability to sustain before cameras a presentation that will engage the attention and evoke the response of an unseen audience. And since some classroom teachers seem unable to sustain such a presentation, someone occasionally asks, "Why not have educators pre- pare the materials, but have a professional communicator deliver it"? It also happens occasionally that, because tele- vision is to varying degrees a means of public display, often originating in an atmosphere of lights and scenery reminiscent of show business, it attracts persons who are earning their living by teaching although they may still hope to realize success as vocal or instrumental performers. Although high standards of musical per- formance are desirable for television music teachers, trouble arises if they use the medium primarily to exhibit their own talents and personalities rather than to pro- mote the learning of their students. The either-teacher-or-performer alternative is oversimplified and might be avoided by defining what one means by a teacher and a performer. If one agrees that 30 there is more to teaching than exhibiting one's own talents or than dispensing one—way knowledge as some lecturers do, one can agree with Mary Howard Smith, who writes: The television teacher is neither a performer nor a lecturer. He is an excellent teacher with a record of successful teaching experiences. He understands students and has a firm grasp of educational object- ives. He is aware of the classroom teachers--their privileges and problems.1 The importance of teaching experience and edu- cational outlook is also stressed by Clifford Erickson, speaking from his experience with the "TV College" credit courses offered by Chicago City Junior College: Certainly it is easier and less time consuming to convert a seasoned scholar into an effective tele- vision teacher than to convert an unscholarly show— man into a scholarly teacher.2 He explains further: We believe that television teaching is fundamentally an extension of creative face-to-face teaching. Experience is important because the television teacher must draw on his life in the classroom for the know- how to pace the material and to provide the pauses lMary Howard Smith, Using Television i the Classroom (New YOrk: McGraw-Hill, 1961), p. 24. 2"Selection of Television Teachers," an address by Clifford G. Erickson, Executive Dean, Chicago City Junior College, at the Fourth Armed Forces Television Conference, Lowry Air Force Base, Denver, Colorado, October 24-26, 1963. 31 which enable the student to answer questions or proceed through thought processes. We believe that every telecast lesson must be thoroughly prepared and outlined. But we discourage the verbatim script. Further, we believe that the creative process should continue every moment of the telecast in order that there be liveness and presence in the presentation. This quality is likely to be absent when a teacher writes the script and an actor makes the presentation from the verbatim script. Since this study is addressed primarily to edu- cators, it is probably unnecessary to emphasize further that a television teacher must indeed be a teacher. This does not mean, however, that she should also not be a performer, if by performer one means a person who is able to communicate in terms of the television medium. Rather than raise the either-teacher-or-performer alternative, it is probably wiser to specify a combination of attri- butes such as appears in the following excerpt from a Division Memorandum issued by the Midwest Program on Air- borne Television Instruction: The television teacher should be one who can communi- cate via the television screen, who makes creative use of the medium, who has command of the subject matter of the lessons, and who makes presentations which can be geared into classroom-teaching-learning situations.2 Ihfid. 2"Plans for Developing Series V Courses," Divi- sion Memorandum, No. 1, Course Development and Evaluation Division, MPATI, Inc., August 15, 1963, p. 7. 32 It will be noted that the first two attributes are con- cerned with an ability to communicate through the medium and the last two with teaching per sg, Not All Classroom Teachers Make Good Television Teachers Despite the point just established that tele- vision teachers need a background of classroom experience, it does not follow that all classroom teachers are effective on television. On the basis of questionnaires regarding the criteria used to select television teachers for the Detroit Public Schools, John Barson concluded that: There are relatively few classroom teachers able to qualify for the role of television teacher.1 Partly, one suggests, this is because not all of the teachers have the dedication, command of subject matter, and teaching ability to qualify as sufficiently superior for the television role. Also, of course, not all teachers want to qualify for that role, either because they are not sufficiently convinced of the effectiveness of tele— vised instruction or because they do not regard the role as congenial to them. lJohn Barson, "Television Teachers: A Comparative Analysis of Criteria for Their Selection in the Detroit Public Schools" (unpublished Doctoral dissertation, wayne State University, 1962, from Dissertation Abstracts, XXIII, No. 3, 894. 33 But beyond this, Barson contends that: The role of the television teacher is not based heavily on the typical procedures and skills required of the classroom teacher. Why this is so may be better understood by analyzing some of the differences between claserOm and television teaching. Television Teaching Is Not A Private Affair Television teaching involves both cooperation with others and exposure to others, both of which impose pressures and obligations not experienced in the self- contained classroom. For one thing, the television teacher must not be afraid of public scrutiny -- by the school administration, by other teachers, and (if her lessons are broadcast) by members of the home audience, including parents of her students and taxpayers who contribute to her salary. In the face of such scrutiny, she must be able to pursue her own convictions, tolerate publicity, withstand pos- sible criticism, and accept approbation without letting it go to her head. Within the studio she must withstand the pressure lIbid. 34 of cues, timing, and deadlines. She must be able to work cooperatively with curriculum coordinators and adminis— trators. She must be able to coordinate the work and serve the needs of resource people, artists, librarians, directors, producers, and cameramen. She must be able to accept suggestions from these persons with good grace. As Clifford Erickson observes: This team situation can bring out the best in an able teacher. But it can significantly reduce the effectiveness of one with weaknesses in experi- ence, scholarship, maturity, or the ability to communicate.1 Regarding the maturity, Erickson explains: Here we mean the qualities of professional detach- ment and poise which make it possible for the teacher as a personality to get a learning experi- ence through to the student without having himself or his own problems intrude. There are unfortunately a few very able classroom teachers who cannot tol— erate the glamor or accommodate themselves to the team teaching aspects of the television teaching situ— ation. They begin identifying themselves personally with the student and regarding the television presen- tation as a kind of vehicle for the exploitation of personality rather than as a vehicle for teaching and learning. The planning sessions with their fellow teachers, directors, and producers are likely to be- come tense. This kind of teacher is likely to insist on his rights as the television teacher. The emotional voltage of personal relationships is likely to become higher than is comfortable in a good working situation. lErickson address on "Selection of Television Teachers." 2Ibid. 35 There is still another group of persons to whom the television teacher must relate. In the classroom she teaches only her own students. On television she teaches the students of other teachers. She must be willing to learn the needs of these other teachers and adapt her lessons to them. A Television Teacher Must Be A Good Organizer Television makes several demands upon a teacher's ability to organize. As already suggested, she is normally the captain and coordinator of the team which helps her to produce her programs. So she is an organizer of people's efforts. She is also an organizer of her own lesson material. More than the classroom lesson, a television lesson is expected to be a unit, which starts with specific learn- ing aims and follows them to their culmination. As Richard Charles Berg observes, the "television teacher must not ramble as she can do quite safely in the class- "1 To fail in this respect is to invite criticism. room. Thus, the previously mentioned consultants of the NCSCT recommended that television music teachers "should lBerg, p. 59. 36 strengthen both lesson and course continuity, organi— zation, and structure."1 Also, many respondents to the questionnaire circulated by the author of this present study complained that television lessons were often ineffectual because they lacked "good solid planning" and sometimes did not even correspond to the lesson outline in the study guide. Not only must a lesson be well planned, but it must also be pre—planned; and even a whole series of lessons must be pre-planned in order to fit the allotted time segments, to provide advance information to receiv- ing teachers, and to help television personnel decide on the basic requirements of the series in the way of pro- duction style, studio personnel and facilities. As Clifford Erickson observes, the television teacher should "have the ability to plan ahead for weeks, or even to lay out an entire course in advance, to outline particular lessons, to determine in advance what visuals will be needed, and to carry out the schedule in workmanlike fashion."2 The carrying out requires not only that the lNCSCT News Supplement, p. 5. 2Erickson address on "Selection of Television Teachers." 37 television teacher plan the lesson but that she be able tr) aissimilate it so that, when the deadline comes, she :is (zompletely and thoroughly prepared to present it. 'Tirme in television studios is too short and precious to xvajste on fumbling and needless experimentation. A Television Teacher Must Adapt To New Communication Skills The process of television communication differs 111 'many respects from that of face—to-face teaching. In the first place, thetElevision teacher is ‘7j_eywed by her students objectively within a frame and is ‘tlaeareby subject, more than in face—to—face situations, to £1 dietached, critical, and constant scrutiny of her personal appearance, mannerisms, and qualities of speech and movement. Instead of confronting her students directly, ESTIe nmst be able to anticipate their questions and to EPITedict or imagine their responses. Despite her separa- tlion from them, she has to establish rapport by getting 11C> them through the round glass lens of the camera. To tlitis end it is helpful to possess or cultivate what Clifford Erickson describes as: . . . a subtle quality, not easily defined but which has a profound effect on the effectiveness of the 38 television teaching. Perhaps it is an indefinable human warmth, the subtle communication to the student of an interest in him, in his thought processes and his progress. This human quality helps enrich the meanings of words. It instills confidence in the student. It inspires an interest in the subject. It makes time pass all too quickly. Like religious faith, it defies definition, but its presence or absence is known. A classroom learning session has inherent possi- bilities for give-and-take, for dialogue between the teacher and her students, for what may often resemble a conversation between them. On television, however, the teacher is frequently called on to sustain a continuous presentation. This makes demands on her rhetorical abilities to speak fluently and coherently and to in— volve her unseen audience in interested and thoughtful participation, even when she is doing all of the talking. Although she is physically separated from her audience, she must be able to empathize with that audience. She must also resist the temptation to merely show and tell. For, as Colby Lewis observes, the real lesson is not what happens in the studio, but what happens in the mind of the student. The job of the studio presentation is to stimulate that mind to action and reaction.2 lIbid. 2Colby Lewis, "Moving the Mind of the Audience," unpublished address delivered as consultant to the Alabama Educational Television Network, Auburn, Alabama, 1958. 39 The teacher's presentation reaches her students through the pickup of cameras and microphones. Intelli- gible sound transmission and camera shots require that she learn to speak and move in certain ways suggested by her director. Her choice of visual material will also be governed by the capacity of the television system to reproduce it properly. Besides prescribing such limitations, however, the television medium opens up the range of teaching devices which the teacher can employ. When appropriate, she can integrate into her presentation films, slides, audio tapes, resource persons, rare and unusual instru- ments, close views of musical notation, professional vocal and instrumental performances, and other items which are difficult or impossible to include in a class- room presentation. Hopefully, she will have sufficient imagination and resourcefulness to take advantage of these possibilities for widening her range of communi— cation. Television Music Teachinq Requires Good Musicianship, What has been said so far about television teach— ing might apply to the teaching of any subject. It remains to mention one attribute which applies specifically 40 to music education. That attribution is musicianship. Although it might be expected that all teachers of music would have this attribute, the reader is reminded that, after viewing portions of almost every music telecourse being broadcast in the country today, the authorities assembled by the NCSCT showed their greatest concern "for the lack of musicianship displayed by some of the teachers." The teacher, they said, "must be musically ~ competent, must be able to make available to the class- room first rate performances."l By this (according to Colby Lewis, who was one of their number) they were registering their disappointment that some of the tele- vision teachers whom they witnessed could not sing well or play an instrument well or were deficient in their knowledge of musical matter. To be versed in musicianship, a person should be able to sing on pitch within the correct rhythmic structure of a composition, be able to play at least one musical instrument with fair proficiency, and have a well- balanced education in music history, theory, composition, solfeggio, and orchestration. In addition, the music educator should have studied educational methods, psy- chology, and philosophy, and have a reasonably diversified lNCSCT News Supplement, p. 5. 41 background in the liberal arts. Results Of The Author's Questionnaire This investigation into the attributes of a good television music teacher will now be concluded by repdmjng answers to one of the questions included in the question- naire which the author of this study circulated to various authorities on music education and instructional tele— vision production. The question was: "What are the desirable attributes of a television music teacher?" The answers to this question have been classified by the author under four headings. Otherwise, they are repro— duced as written. Musicianship Piano ability or other instrument. Knowledge of good musical literature, ability to analyze it and simplify what is difficult. Strong background in music philosophy. Sincere attitude towards music. Pleasant singing voice. Teaching ability Awareness of student and teacher needs. Ability to present material well and accomplish specific lesson objectives. 42 Ability to involve pupils in discovery technique. Ability to project and hold interest of an audience. Creativeness: imagination in planning and executing a lesson. Stimulate participation. Ability to establish rapport. Possessing a flare for the dramatic. Ability to feel audience response. Ability to empathize. Master teacher with knowledge of current techniques and materials. Observable personal qualities Pleasing personality. Pleasant appearance. Pleasant singing and speaking voice. Vivacious. Youth. Displays personal warmth. Lack of distracting mannerisms. Sense of humor. Tremendous physical stamina. Accommodation to the television medium Obvious belief in effectiveness of televised music instruction. 43 Ability to cooperate. Ability to accept criticism. Operate without confusion in a studio. Ability to organize. Knowledge of studio techniques. Knowledge of what can best be taught by tele- vision. ' Ability to teach to a camera. Knows lesson plan without having to refer to notes, teleprompter, etc. Most of the qualities listed above have been referred to, in one way or another, earlier in this chapter. A few have not, either because they seem self- evident or because they are matters of personal opinion. For example, there have been successful television teachers, as there have been classroom teachers, who had neither youth nor any outstanding vivacity or sense of humor. There is a danger in ready generalizations about the attributes for success in any profession. It is hoped that this chapter has not erred too greatly in this respect. CHAPTER IV PLANNING A TELEVISED MUSIC LESSON Special considerations are involved in planning a televised music lesson, because the conditions of its presentation differ from those of face-to-face instruction. For example: Advance Information About The Televised_Lesson Is Needed Bngthers Than The Television Teacher Advance information is needed by classroom teachers so that they can coordinate the televised lesson with their own teaching. Usually this information is provided in teacher's guides, which are sent to them before the televised lessons begin. Advance information is also needed by the television director and his crews so that they can prepare the studio and be ready to transmit the lessons effectively through cameras and microphones. In this case, the information is presented in some kind of script form and may be supple- mented by lists of visual materials required for the presentation. 44 45 These needs (apart from the teacher's own need to be pedagogically prepared) require that she gg_plan her lessons in a more deliberate and thorough way than she may normally do, and also that she be able to conform her presentation to what she has planned. The director will expect her to present what he has his cameras set up to take. The classroom teacher will expect her to present what the students have been prepared for. The Lesson Is Presented Through The Medium Of Television At the very least, this means that the points in the lesson will not reach the students if the cameras and microphones fail to transmit them in the manner intended. Moreover, it means, as Murphy and Gross have pointed out, that as an instructional tool, television has "unique characteristics, inherent in the medium, that have as yet scarcely been tapped for education.”1 Failing to exploit these characteristics may mean that television is simply, as the authors say, "reproducing . 2 . . the classroom in the classroom,” and that it Will lack 1Murphy and Gross, p. 64 2mg... p. 29 46 "the graphic and studio support that result in exceptional series."1 A good lesson requires cooperation from specialists who are conversant with the medium. Its planning should be accomplished by a team which includes the functions, not only of the teacher-presenter, but also of the producer, director, and graphics specialist.2 Together, the team members should ask, "How can this lesson be made superior to the kind of instruction which it is already possible to present without television?" Unless this question can be answered satisfactorily, the resulting telecasts will probably lack the approval of both the receiving teachers and the students. A Television Lesson Is Normally Used In Many, Different ClassroomsygSchools, And Schogl Districts Therefore, the television lessons must be planned to accommodate the needs of various users, as established through consultation with classroom teachers and curriculum committees. 11bid., p. 63 2Notes provided by Colby Lewis, one of a group of educators assembled by the National Project for Improvement of Televised Instruction at Silver Springs, Maryland, on October 12, 1966, to help plan a program of instruction for members of instructional producing teams. 47 Beyond identifying mutually satisfactory aims for the lessons, such planning must take into account how much time in the various schools can be devoted not only to the telecasts, but also to other aspects of music education, including such follow-up activities as the television teacher may wish to prescribe. Materials to be used in conjunction with the tele- vised lessons must be made available to all receiving rooms. It will not do, for instance, if some rooms lack the rhythm instruments which the television teacher asks the students to play. And it is awkward to explain, as one television teacher has to, that a song will be found on page 30 of the red books, page 19 of the green books, and page 4 of the blue ones.l Television Is Unlikely_To Be The Only Means Of Available Instruction It is most unlikely that all goals of music education can be accomplished through television alone. Therefore, before planning her lessons, the television teacher will need to ascertain which goals are to be assigned to television and which to other means of instruction. 1Noted by consultants at the previously cited conference of music educators convened by the NCSCT. 48 As previously mentioned, television has unique educational potentialities. For example, it can present teachers who have more specialized acquaintance with music and the methods of teaching it than do most class- room teachers. It can, if opportunity and competence exist, present more thoroughly organized and rehearsed material. It can also present experiences beyond those normally available in the classroom. But there are some stages of the learning process which, at least under present conditions, it cannot serve. For example, the learner should have an opportunity to practice his learning, to apply it to new situations, and to be advised in what respects he is succeeding or failing at his task. Also, as an individual, he will have particular needs which cannot be satisfied by a telecast directed to all students in common. Taking into account such considerations, then, it should be determined whether the television sequence will: 1. Initiate instruction, perhaps taking the lead in most areas of the curriculum and using the classroom teachers as followers. or: 2. Reinforce the classroom teachers' presen- tations, serving them, as a textbook does, as a complementary resource. or: 49 3. Simply provide enriching experiences outside the normal bounds of study, such as an Opportunity to view and hear a noted musical authority or the performance of an instrumental group. Depending on which alternative is chosen, further questions will obviously follow in the interests of correlating the televised material with the balance of the curriculum. Television Lessons Depend On Reinforcement From The Classroom Teachers Although this remark may logically belong in the preceding section, it is singled out for special stress because of its importance. As Lucille Miller, principal of an elementary school in Washington County, Maryland, observes, "The highest-quality televised lesson in the world, if misused in the classroom, is worse than nothing."1 And according to Murphy and Gross, ”For ITV to succeed it must have the allegiance and cooperation not only of superintendents, principals, and department heads, but also, and most important, of classroom teachers and professors."2 The problem of utilizing television lessons will be discussed in the following chapter. Here, however, it 1Murphy and Gross, p. 64 2Ibid., p. 65 50 must be observed that effective utilization starts with the planning of lessons which take into account the class- room teachers' needs and competences. During the tele- cast, the television teacher may be able to use the class- room teacher as her agent to supervise the carrying out of activities to be performed by students. After the tele- cast, the television teacher may wish to rely on the class- room teacher for recommended follow-up activities. In each instance, however, the television teacher will need to know, when she plans her lessons, how competent the classroom teachers are to carry out such cooperation. Sometimes her telecasts may include demonstrations of instructional techniques to strengthen the competence of the classroom teachers. Sometimes there may need to be in-service television programs especially for the class- room teachers. Television Is A Visual As Well_As An Aural Medium Earlier in this chapter it was recommended that the television teacher's planning take into account the potentialities of the television medium. She should also allow for its limitations. At times, it may be difficult for her to teach aural discrimination through what is generally regarded as predominantly a visual medium. When 51 students attend the television screen, they are likely to expect to see there a constant flow of visual images. Does this mean that television should not be used for those aspects of music education which are concerned only with auditory experiences? Or can a convention be established, whereby on these occasions, the tube face will be intentionally blanked out in order to use only television's aural channel? Certainly what is shown on the visual channel should not interfere with the learner's aural concentra- tion. Therefore, the teacher must consider whether, when music is to be listened to, it is valid to introduce visual material simply to keep the tube face active. In some extant telecasts, musical performances are accom- panied by interpretive dances or by pictures of tranquil or stormy landscapes. It may be questioned whether such visual experiences do not impose an alien interpretation on the listener and prevent him from learning to interpret the music by developing his auditory perception. Some- times, this problem is circumvented by showing on the screen the persons who are performing the music or by showing the corresponding musical notation. When pictures of whatever nature accompany the playing of music, the changes of picture should correspond 52 “rith changes in the musical pattern, thus reinforcing the Juearner's perception of this pattern rather than distract- :ing him from it. Consequently, the television teacher's Iolanning should include working with her television